Good food needs good preparation with right recipe. To succeed, one needs to do preparation. Yes, we all know the normal preparation of knowing our products, knowing situation, knowing competition.
There is something more than that is also required if higher stakes are involved. Small-small observations required to resolve some critical situations. For example, preparation on how we will start conversation, can we start conversation straight with the burning issue we have. Sometimes, we used to just keep talking about other things till the time we are asked to reveal our pain, almost 80% initial conversation to just reach the right moment to start the core conversation. We used to be prepared to come back without discussing the core issue, if we felt that the comfort of discussing issue is still not there.
What all can be discussed during this 80% initial time, for us the awards, trophies, certificates lying behind the desk used to be one such source. As they reflect interest of the person whom you are meeting. Local political scenario, stock market, sports, budget, global policies examples, travel destinations used to be other topics. To talk on all these one needs to keep updating own knowledge about multiple things, habit of reading magazines like “The Economist” & monitoring financial performance of major stock market companies can help.
Some extreme preparation what I have seen is finding out interest of the person by talking to her/his EA/PA. Like if someone has written a book, whether that copy is available easily or not, we had arranged the book & we had asked someone to read the book from our team, so, we can start conversation from that book when we meet her/him next time.
Another extreme preparation example was to meet person accidentally in the lift just to discuss issue casually. Something extraordinary was to get train ticket booked in same train coach in which the person is travelling, pretend a chance encounter.
Anticipating & maintaining relations for long term is also preparation. It should not be that we reach out when we need help, as organisation, as team, we have to assign relationship managers, who will maintain such relations, which can help in preparation & give guidance at right time. So, we know when to speak, how to speak, how much to speak, when to stop & whom to speak. Yes, just how a chef does for right recipe & taste, success needs preparation.